The National Food Security Mission (NFSM) was launched in October 2007 with the objective of raising the production of wheat by 8 million tonnes, rice by 10 million tonnes and pulses by 2 million tonnes by 2011-12 (end of the 11th Five Year Plan).
With a rapidly growing population, the then National Development Council (NDC) felt the need to step up food production on mission mode. Although the NDC and Five Year Plans have both been abandoned by the present government, the NFSM continues to be promoted by the government and it continues to deliver results.
Why NFSM?
According to the Indian Council for Agricultural Research, South Asia will need to step up food production by 2020 (over 1994-95 averages) as per the following:
- Foodgrains: 55%
- Fruits: 142%
- Meat: 57%
- Fish: 24%
- Milk: 28%
- Cluster Demonstrations – test beds for demonstrations are being set up on improved package and cropping systems.
- Seed Distribution – Distribution of high-yielding varieties and hybrid seeds at subsidised costs.
- Farm Machineries – Distribution of farm equipment and tools like cono weeder, manual sprayer, drum seeder, seed drill, zero till multi-crop planter, power weeder, paddy thresher, laser land leveller; all at subsidized costs.
- Plant Protection – Subsidised distribution of plant protection chemicals and bio-pesticides; weedicides.
- Micro-Nutrients and Soil Ameliorants – Distribution of subsidised micro-nutrients, lime/ liming materials, etc.
- Local Initiatives – Five percent of total state allocation will be allocated for funding on project basis, and
- Setting up of project management teams at State and District levels.
- Rice: The Center and State funding ratio for rice is 60:40. The total fund allocation for rice this year is: Rs 39,277.78 lakh. Of this, Center’s share: Rs 26,000 lakh; States’ share: Rs 13,277.78 lakh.
- Wheat: Funding ratio 60:40. The total fund allocation for wheat this year is: Rs 18,333.33 lakh. Of this, Center’s share: Rs 11,500 lakh; States’ share: Rs 6,833.33 lakh.
- Pulses: 60:40 for regular states; 90:10 for hilly states – Himachal Pradesh, J&K and Uttarakhand; 90:10 for North-East states. The total fund allocation for pulses in current year: Rs 1,37,111.11 lakh. Center’s share: Rs 85,000 lakh; States’ share: Rs 52,111.11 lakh.
- Coarse Cereals – Funding ratio 60:40. The total fund allocation for cereals this year is: Rs 21,555.56 lakh. Of this, Center’s share: Rs 14,500 lakh; States’ share: Rs 7,055.56 lakh.
- Commercial Crops – Sugarcane, Cotton, Jute. The funding ratio is 60:40. The total fund allocation for commercial crops this year is: Rs 3.845.11 lakh. Of this, Center’s share: Rs 2,500 lakh; States’ share: Rs 1,345.11 lakh.
- Andhra Pradesh: 13
- Arunachal Pradesh: 17
- Assam: 27
- Bihar: 38
- Chhattisgarh: 27
- Goa: 2
- Gujarat: 26
- Haryana: 21
- Himachal Pradesh: 12
- J&K: 22
- Jharkhand: 24
- Karnataka: 30
- Kerala: 14
- M.P: 51
- Maharashtra: 35
- Manipur: 9
- Meghalaya: 11
- Mizoram: 8
- Nagaland: 11
- Odisha: 30
- Punjab: 22
- Rajasthan: 33
- Sikkim: 4
- Tamil Nadu: 32
- Telangana: 10
- Tripura: 8
- U.P: 75
- Uttarakhand: 13
- West Bengal: 19
- To increase agricultural land under irrigation
- Develop water catchment areas
- Improve water management and conservation through innovative use of technology
- Encourage farmers to adopt ‘More Crop Per Drop’ techniques
- Step up developing and subsidised distribution of high-yielding/ hybrid seeds
- Develop more productive and low-cost farming equipment and tools
- Make more electricity available to farmers and at subsidised rates
- Encourage higher adoption of crop insurance by farmers
- Step up bank financing at subsidised rates
- Increase farmer education and training by leveraging IT and telecom
